Caster.



Wm. NEDA-99. Patented Jan. 2,1900. W. I. STILWELL. EASTER.

(Application filed Mar. 28, 1899.) (We Model.)

EL CIT].

ATTEET INVENT DE.

"WILLIAM T .S'IILWELL U l M :EIY

.ATT'Y *rarns ATIENI tries,

IVIIJIQIAM I. STILIVELL, OF MANSFIELD, OIIIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE l3. SOLDIERS, OF OLEV ILAND, OIIIO.

CASTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 640,499, dated January 2, 1900'.

Application filed March 23, 1899. Serial No. 710,150. (No model.)

To (LZZ whom it may concern: and leave a large part of the spindle unpro- Be it known that I, \VILLIAM I. STILWELL, tected. In view, therefore, of all that has a citizen of the United States, residing at been done to meet the needs of this art for Mansfield, in the county ofRichland and State heavy work it still remains true that there is 5 of Ohio, have invented certain newand useful demand for a caster which combines the ele- Improvements in Antifriction Roller-Casters; ments of strength and durability and ease of and I do declare that the following is a full, operation and which is not too expensive to clear, and exact description of the invention, make or purchase. which will enable others skilled in the art to Referring new again to the drawings, A [O which it appertains to make and use the same. represents a tubular socket adapted to be set My invention relates to antifriction rollerinto the fi'irnituredeg or other portion of the casters; and the especial object of the invenfurniture prepared for the purpose and has tion is to provide a caster which will meet aflange a about its bottom, through which are the needs of pianos, bookcases, safes, and passed screws for fastening the socket in 15 other heavy articles of furniture, which artiplace. Internally this part A has a fairly cles by reason of their very great weight are large uniform bore extending practically the difficult to handle. full depth and which may be referred to as The invention therefore consists in a rollerthe spindle socket or bearing, and in casterconstructed and adapted to operate subthe top of the socket, which is closed, is a 20 stantially as shown and described, and parsmall pointed cavity a for the point of the tieularly pointed out in the claim. spindle. The said frame B has several por In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is tions essential to its completeness, consist a sectional elevation of my improved caster, ing of the yoke 2, in which the wheel or roller showing the socket and hub in sectional ele- O is supported, the hub 3, and the spindle 4c. 25 vation. Fig. 2 is a plain elevation of the up- Both the hub 3 and the socket-base are of peper part of the wheel-frame and its spindle, culiar and novel construction, adapting the with the wheel partly in section, as hereincaster to carry a series of horizontally-arafter fully described. ranged antifriction-balls, which are the ex- The invention as thus shown is designed to elusive weight-bearers between the socket A 3o occupy a place in this art which, so far as I and the wheel-frame l3 and which yet are can ascertain, has not been satisfactorily met adapted to take all the lateral bearing and by any or all of the heavyweight casters friction, as occurs when the furniture is heretofore known. moved and the caster whips around one way In heavy furniture of the kind hereinbeor another to bring it in line with the direc- 35 fore mentioned the excessive continued pres tion of movement. A prompt response of sure which comes on the caster when in a the caster at this time is always desirable, state of rest and from which there is no rebut in heavy furniture it is absolutely inlief is such as to put any construction to very dispensable, as otherwise the furniture canseveretriahand experience has demonstrated not be moved and bestowed as may be de- 40 that very few casters are able to withstandit sired. To these several ends the hub of and at the same time be ever ready to move the frame B has a raised circular portion or easily with their heavy load. I have found, pedestal Z), with a groove or channel in its top for example, that the firmest woods under around the spindle 4, and the antifrictionexcessive pressure will give way sooner or ballsDrestin this groove. The complement 4.5 later and that a quality of roller or principle of the pedestal b is formed in the base of the of construction admirably adapted for ordisocket A, in which is a cavity bordered in nary house furniture is wholly unsuitable to part by the stock of the socket and by the dothe needs of heavyarticles. Ihave also found pending flange 6, which overlaps the pedestal that tl1hlfPlOhlO11-btllS about a roller-spindle b, and While it is apart therefrom to prevent I00 50 are wholly unsuited to heavy furniture, befriction is yet near enough to perform service cause they will cut grooves in their hearings in emergencies when the furniture is moved and possibly excessive lateral strain comes on the caster. Then the surfaces of the overlapping portions and 6 will contact and support the caster to the utmost that may be needed. Ordinarily, however, the balls D perform their complete dual office of horizontal and vertical antitriction-bearings. The socket-cavity has a corresponding annular channel to thatin the hub for the balls D, and the circles of these opposite channels practically meet on both sides, thus forming together a substantially cylindrical circular channel.

It is designed that all vertical and lateral strain shall be borne by the balls D, as already described, and hence the spindle at is intended to be relieved of all such strain at all other points, and its extremity is reduced to a taper, with a point 7 to enter cavity a, simply to steady it'laterally, but not to carry any weight. A retaining pin or plug 8 enters a groove 9 about the neck of the spindle, and the same purpose as is served by the reduced end 7 might be served if, say, three such pins as 8 were introduced in triangular relation to provide lateral support at the top of the spindle. This or any equivalent steadying means may be used, the more essential part of the invention being in the structure involving the balls D.

Preferably cylindrical antifriction-rollers E are used in the wheel 0, and a wheel with a broad nearly-fiat tread also is preferred and also preferably of metal, so as to stand any weight without injury or danger of being crushed.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a caster, the wheel-frame composed of a roller-supporting yoke,a hub 3 having a raised circular pedestal, b, in the top of which is formed an annular hall-channel, and a vertical spindle 4, made integral with the pedestal, rising therefrom, and terminatingin a pointed head 7 and a neck 9, in combination with a tubular closed cap-socket, A, covering and inclosing said pedestal and spindle, and provided with a cavity, a, as a seat for the point 7 of said spindle, said socket also provided with a laterally-extending flange a, for securing the socket to the article, and with an in ner depending flange, 6, extending below the said flange, a, and overlapping the pedestal, b, said socket also formed with an annular ball-channel, complemental to the said pedestal-channel, balls in said channels, and a pin in the socket adapted to enter the neck of the spindle to steady it, whereby all vertical and lateral strain from the supported article is borne by said balls, and their support, substantially as described.

Witness my hand to the foregoing specification this 15th day of March, 1899.

WVILLIAM I. STILVVELL.

Witnesses:

J. S. DONNELL, O. C. MARRIOTT. 

